Search - Original Cast Recording :: Disney's The Little Mermaid (2008 Original Broadway Cast)

Critics not in swim with this gem of magical theatre!

Grant Hugh Alexander | The Deep South, USA | 02/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To everyone considering buying the Original Cast Album of Disney's newest Broadway musical, DO NOT HESITATE. The New York critics have labeled the show as being "too stylized" and "lacking in appeal" and even "more parade than theatre." To be perfectly honest, the critics these days favor small, low budget shows like SPRING AWAKENING and XANADU that are not of the caliber of the classic Broadway musical; true, these shows are very good, but are more in the Off-Broadway vein. So, it is not surprising that when a piece of Broadway magic hits the stage the critics label it as too spectacular or too sachrine. THE LIITLE MERMAID, despite New York critics' uneccessary harpooing of it, has been hailed by TIME as "the most ravishing show (I have) ever seen on a Broadway stage." Well, at least the folks at TIME get it, even if the cynical New York critics don't. The songs from the original film are all here, and in the case of some of them, mainly the serenading "Kiss the Girl," are actually beeter onstage than on film. The new songs, with music by the film's original composer Alan Menken, and new comer lyricist Glenn Slater are far from what the critics have called "syrupy;" the new material is actually very much up to par with the originals. True, they feel different because we aren't used to hearing them and haven't had them etched into onto our ear drums from repeated exposure, but they are wonderful nonetheless. In fact, some of them, such as the lovely "If Only" quartet, the mersisters' delightful ditty "She's in Love", and Ariel's sweet "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" could easily have been in the original film because they add music to moments from the film that made us want to sing with delight and wonder. Ursula's new material, "I Want the Good Times Back" and Eric's "Her Voice", along with the aforementioned "If Only" quartet are more adult in tone and may not completely make sense to very young audience members, but adults will love them, especially Ursula's deliciously sardonic "I Want the Good Times Back" (parents be warned that Ursula swears in this song: "...the whole damn works"). Sherie Rene Scott's Ursula is more Broadway diva than the dumpy, drag queen-esque witch of the original (don't get me wrong-I love Pat Carroll's original! She made the only Diney villaness that ever completely terrified me as a toddler), but Sherie's portrayl is delightful and refreshing, and with a little tongue-in-cheek homage to such fictional divas as SUNSET BOULEVARD's Norma Desmond. Sierra Boggess, to put it simply, IS Ariel. She brings the character that Jodi Benson originally created to delightful life, giving Ariel enough of "Sierra-ness" to make her more than a mere copy of what we saw on the screen. Norm Lewis, Titus Burgess, Sean Palmer, and Eddie Korbich are also wonderful, Titus giving his Sebastian delightful vocals, here high and lilting rather that low and rumbling as in the film, although the original voice, Samuel Wright, is wonderful as well. Also, the conclusion of the show is actually, to me, more logical and intimate than the monster movie-esque larger-than-life demise of Ursula that exists in the film. In the stage version, Ariel dispatches Ursula, which girls will love for it's "girl power" punch, by smashing her magic shell, the rather unstable source of all of her dark, black magic that she inherited from her and Triton's father (yes, Ursula is Ariel's aunt!). Also, Doug Wright has improved on two points only hinted at in the original script: Ursula's motives and the romance between Ariel and Eric. Rather than being a rather superficial and quick romance in the film, Ariel and Eric are given SOME TIME to fall in love here, and it is as Disney-cute as can be. To close, buy this album, go see the show if you are able, and ignore the critics, especially those at the New York Times, who are only lampooning the show because it is "another Disney show" and very modern in its costumes, set design, and lighting. Also, the show is optimistic and has a heart, unlike such musicals as SPRING AWAKENING that are pessimistic and end with warped and unhealthy parent-child relationships and despair - the complete opposite happens here. MERMAID goes against the grain of our pessimistic society and gives us permission to have hope, to have dreams, and to find our own "voices" when it comes to what is important to us."

Big Improvement From Tarzan

AJK | Chicago, IL | 06/15/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While not quite the level of brilliance seen in "The Lion King" or "Mary Poppins", Disney's latest effort, "The Little Mermaid" aims to restore a bit of the magic lost in "Tarzan".



Sierra Boggess makes a terrific Ariel & might have received a Tony nomination for her efforts in a less competitive year. Norm Lewis, Titus Burgess, and the amazing Sherrie Renee Scott round out the leads - though I'm not sure all were used to their potential.



Alan Menken's score includes both songs from the movie as well as new additions. The music is principally geared towards the younger set, but several songs are standouts:



Part Of Your World

Under The Sea

Poor Unfortunate Souls

If Only (Quartet)



"

I Miss Howard...

The Taminator | The People's Republic of Indiana | 11/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've never seen the Broadway musical, so this is strictly commentary on the music. I've been a die-hard fan of The Little Mermaid since the movie was first released in 1989, in part because of Alan Menken's unforgettable score and Howard Ashman's genius lyrics that speak to the heart, especially Part of Your World. I like new recordings of the music from the movie, including the country-ized versions that have been released over the years, so when I stumbled across this CD, I snapped it up.



For new recordings of old favorites, this album is mostly a winner. While no one can ever replace Jodie Benson for me, Sierra Boggess captures Ariel's youth and innocence very well, and most of the other characters are well-cast. I have a hard time with Sherie Rene Scott as Ursula; her songs sound like someone just singing songs from the show/film rather than Ursula.



New songs leave something to be desired-- the lyrics lack something that's hard for me to pin down in a review. Glenn Slater does outstanding work, but there is something off about the lyrics here. They're appropriate for the story, but they simply lack heart. They're Broadway tunes and nothing more. Disney lost a very special kind of magic in its musical productions with the passing of Howard Ashman, and without even looking at the credits, it's easy to know which ones are Howard and which ones are not. Lest anyone think I am being too hard on Glenn Slater, he comes really close with Eric's song "Her Voice," and from me that's a high compliment.



Broadway fans, Disney enthusiasts, and most fans of the movie will find this a five-star addition to their music collections. Those who know what I'm talking about with Howard should be aware that while it's easy to sing along with the newer tunes, they'll never touch your heart the way Howard did. The vast majority of people will love this CD for yourselves and your children."